Port accessThe Port Authority of Bilbao and the Santurtzi Town Council have today signed an agreement to take forward a series of actions within the scope of port-town cooperation. These actions are linked to the improvement of the urban environment in various port areas and public access to the seafront. The agreement is also designed to improve accessibility, the conditions of roads and public spaces and leisure and recreational amenities for residents in the urban-port environment, such as walkways, roads, cycle paths, pedestrian footbridges and lifts.
Collaboration between the two institutions dates back to the origin and development of the port facilities of Santurtzi, through the signing of other agreements and undertakings to develop port facilities in the Outer Abra and to improve the town itself. These have enabled various urban planning projects and actions to be taken forward, including walkways along the seafront, public access and roads, as well as the recovery and opening of new recreational areas for the people living in the town.
The president of the Port Authority, Ricardo Barkala, emphasised that the agreement “is another step forward, one which further enhances the value and uniqueness of various port premises and facilities as public areas in the town of Santurtzi, converting them into places where people can come together to enjoy the sea and increasing the social benefits of these areas, not only for the port but also for the town itself. All this has been done whilst attempting to ensure that the planned actions are economically balanced, improving the conservation and safety of the facilities and promoting sustainable public use”.
For her part, the Mayoress of Santurtzi, Aintzane Urkijo, pointed out that this agreement “will enable the Town Council to continue with its efforts to recover seafront areas, improving not only the conditions of roads and public spaces and access to them but also the urban-port environment in the town for leisure, public and recreational use”. She also thanked the Port Authority for “the efforts it has made to invest, which will gradually translate into projects that will improve the quality of life of the local residents”.
The collaboration agreement covers the following:
– The footbridge connecting Calle Murrieta with the Sports Centre: replacement of the existing footbridge with one directly accessible from C/ Murrieta, with access ramps and/or a lift on Paseo Reina Victoria, with a greater width for pedestrian traffic.
– Cycle path on Paseo Lehendakari Agirre: redesigned to enlarge the promenade as a whole and equip it with a cycle path, green rest areas, a viewpoint and access to the seafront.
– Cycle path on Paseo Reina Victoria: improvement and extension of the cycle path on Paseo Lehendakari Agirre.
– Avenida Iparragirre: widening of the existing road for the construction of a 2.5-metre wide cycle path and a 3-metre wide pavement, bordered by greenery.
– Linear park – with a port-facing balcony. Work on green areas of the pathway alongside the N-639 road and its continuation to the foot of the Serantes mountain.
– Remodelling of the Paseo Reina Victoria: comprehensive urban regeneration of the existing promenade.
– Improvements to the fishing port: redevelopment and improvements to the urban environment.
To carry out these actions, the Port Authority of Bilbao will contribute EUR 1 million annually, VAT excluded, over the four years that the agreement is in force. Once the planned works have been completed, the Santurtzi Town Council will assume, after due completion of the relevant administrative procedures, ownership of the facilities.
